Finding Community

Recently, Andy and I have held a couple of small events at our apartment.  

For the first one, a couple weeks back now, Bernie Sanders was doing a live feed, a pep talk really, and Andy signed us up to open our home to whomsoever wanted to come join us, up to a certain cap of course.  

All told, we had nine people show up at our door.  Nine people came that we had never met before, but all held some common beliefs or were interested in learning more about what was going on.  We had men and women, ages nineteen through eighty-some-odd.  We had different races and different walks of life.  

But the best thing that we had that night was fellowship, brought together in constructive conversation and our mutual excitement in the potential changes in our country.  

So many times, we got caught in the safety of our anonymity on the internet and say things on Facebook or in YouTube comments that we really don't think through.  There can be a lot of nasty rhetoric floating around or otherwise a lot of negativity in general.   It's refreshing to hold a conversation where the tone was civil and different opinions and insights were appreciated.  There was mutual respect instead of accusations.  There was optimism.  

I did not realize how much I needed that, nor how much hope that gives me until we had seen our last guest out.  I typically get a lot of that community spirit from church, but even still, this new set of voices brought a refreshing vantage point.  There are still things that can bring us together in this world.  There are still things that can excite us outside of ourselves.  There are still plenty of things to talk about and the courage to talk about them in person with respect.  

Yes, the goal was pro-Bernie, but I appreciate the renewed sense of community, acknowledging that we are not alone, and making plans together for the future.  

I missed out on most of the phone banking that we did (not convincing people, but gathering data which was still oddly exciting) because I wasn't feeling well, but I imagine that we will be opening up our home again for debate watching parties and goodness knows what else.  Andy and I want to open up the opportunity for people to be included in, to allow others to feel part of the group.  

That's kind of the point--a lot of people have felt left out of political process.  We want to be part of reclaiming it.  Furthermore, it's another opportunity to show hospitality to others.  Regardless of the outcome of the election in November, we will have made that impact on our community.  It may be small, but having an open door can be a powerful thing and an open heart even more so.  

Excitement is catching in more than one way--here's hoping for a better world tomorrow, always working toward a better world.  It only comes when we remember and respect each other as people, reforging the community again.  So much more can happen if we simply take the time to care for one another.  Not expecting any drastic change overnight, but steps.  Making sure your neighbor feels included, safe, and equal requires not only changes in how we act in the world but changes in our ways of thinking.  Expand your concept of neighbor and expand your concept of "the community."  It's larger than you think.  It's closer than you remembered.  And it is in need of healing.  

I'm hoping this optimism will continue to carry me forward.